The first time I heard the term “rain chain,” I had no idea what it meant but it sounded so cool that I instantly wanted one. Then I actually saw what a rain chain is – an alternative to the traditional rain gutter downspout – and I realized that I didn’t just want one, I needed one. Now, you could spend close to $100 to purchase a rain chain, but we’re willing to bet that most of our readers are too frugal for that kind of expenditure. Especially when you can make your own for just a fraction of the price! We found a DIY version at Curbly that DIY Maven assembled using small metal buckets. Form meets function meets frugality… We love it! [how to make a rain chain]
Project estimate:
- Small metal buckets, about $10 and up
- Chain, about $3 and up
- S-hooks, $1 and up
- Eye bolt, $1
- Downspout outlet, about $2 and up
Total: about $17
5 Comments
Amber
that is brilliant!
emmie
you never say where to find these metal buckets. i looked everywhere & couldn’t find them for under $2.00 a piece sans shipping. if you need 27 that puts the price at $54 just for the buckets. this is NOT an inexpensive project.
heather
@emmie – we can find buckets like these at Dollar Tree and sometimes the Target dollar spot. They are the smaller pails. If you wanted to do very tiny pails, you could use the wedding favor pails (about 2″ high) that come in a 3-pack. You would probably need about 20 of those, depending on the height of your rain chain. I count nine buckets in the photo, so about $9 for those buckets.
Of course, that’s why we call it an “estimate” — your costs may vary.
Dawn
So cute. Would you recommend coating the buckets
with a sealant?